Shingle



Oct. 26,1926. 1,604,708

G. W. MILLS, JR

SHINGLE Filed Sept. 26, 1921 INVENTOR j Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MILLS, .13., OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE PHILIP CAREYMANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO. 4

SHINGLE.

Application filed September 26, 1921. Serial No. 503,431.

My invention is for an improvement in shingles and is more especially animprovement in shingles of the flat type such as pre ared shingles,asbestos slate shingles an other flat shingles. My invention could insome of its features be used upon curved roofing tile or on woodshingles if desired. In the proper laying of shingles, especially of theflat type, it is advisable that a given portion only be exposed to theweather and it is essential that the shingles be spaced some distanceapart in order that the roper decorative effect be given to the roo whenfinished and to allow for expansion and con tration due to temperaturechanges. To secure this proper positioning of the shingle and tofacilitate the laying of it I have provided the shingle with suitablemarking,

which may be of any suitable form such as.

dots, dashes or lines, but I prefer to use lines of a difierent color orshade from the surface of the shingle and more especially I prefer theuse of black lines so arranged that the lines will be visible to theperson b who is laying the shingles and in the finished roof will bevisibly located so as to simulate shadow effects and thereby enhance theappearance of the finished roof.

In one form of my invention I have found that I can utilize the portionof the shingle exposed to the weather in conjunction with my marking tocarry a part of a complete design so arranged that when the shingle isin place, breaking joints with the two shingles underlying it, thedesign will be brought into register with a portion of the design oneach of the two underlying shingles, while the marking line, to repre-'sent the distance apart of the shingles; and 40 the portion of thedesign of the shingle on the second row beneath would serve to completethe figure of the design and thereby provide a roofing which had adesign on it simulating curved tile or the shape or 4 form of other rooftiles depending on the design used. To do this I provide the exposed endof the shingle with the design preferably in duplicate so that eachshingle represents in part a portion of two figures of the design whilethe underlying shingle and the shingle above would complete the designfigure. Of course a shingle could have on it a portion of, or the wholeof, a single figure or design if desired but I prefer to make mine asshown in Fig. 2 with a portion of two figures on the exposed end.

I have also found that by arranging the marking lines, for the properspacing and laying of shin les, to simulate shadow effects that ashingle, even though comparatively thin, may be given the appearance onthe roof of substantial thickness. This appearance is one of theresultsdesired by architects and others in building of finer residences. Theuse of prepared shingles and other thin flat shingles for suchstructures, notwithstanding their fire protection and weather-proofqualities have been ob- ]ected to because they gave to the roof a flateffect. This is overcome by my invention.

In the drawings I have shown two forms of my invention; Fig. l beingtheordinary repared slate' surfaced shingle which is ormed of a felt basesaturated with a bituminous material, coated with a similar bituminousmaterial and then surfaced with a mineral surface such as slategranules. In

Fig. 2, I have shown a similar form of prepared slate surfaced shingle.In Fig. 1, -I have divided the shingle into three portions A, B, and Theportion A being the portion which in the finished roof will be visibleand will show an area of mineral, preferably slate, surfacing or othersuitable surfacing. The portions -B and C may be of the same finish asthe area A or the mineral surfacing may be omitted entirely from theseportions or covered'by any suitable material such as a bituminous paint.The lines or markings D, F and H in'the preferred form of my inventionwill be black and preferably of a bituminous material or they may bemade with mineral particles of a different color or shade. They may bemadeby painting, by surface embossing or in any suitable manner. Ofcourse the markings and the design must be of a character that willresist the effect of exposure to weather conditions. Such materials arewell known to those skilled in the art. In the preferred form of myinvention I also prefer to arrange the marking, to represent thedistance apart of shingles in the same row, of such width as to show ablack space only between the two shingles overlapping the shingle sothat the black line will be visible the full width of the space betweenadjacent shingles except where that space is visible above or inchesfrom the extreme lower end of the space as shown in Figure 1 where Ihave left the area of surfacing A exposed for the purpose ofaccentuat-ing the shadow like effect between shingles and giving theoptical illusion of depth or thickness of shingle. To further increasethe optical illusion of. thickness of shingle and give the edect in afinished roof of shingles having a thick lower or butt end I havearranged the marking lines D and H which separate respectively the areaA and B, and A and C of substantial width having them at their adjacentends provided with oblique angles 11 and I which likewise assist theillusion of thickness. Of course where a shingle is thick as in someasbestos slate shingles or tile shingles the marking lines D, F and Hwould not have to be solid and ofsubstantial width but could merely be acomparatively fine line or dots or other suitable markings. In such ashingle if desired the edges of the shingles could be darkened orprovided with a contrasting color or shade, to the surface of theshingle, to give shadow like transi s 1y invention could also be carriedout by having the shadow mark and spacing mark arranged partly on eachof two adjacent shingles or the surface of the -shingle at the edgecould be provided with contrasting color or shade for'the purpose ofgiving the shadow effect. In making prepared slate surfaced shingles I-found that the edge of the shingles, due to the color of the slate, hada visible line of color contrasting with the black of the saturated feltbase and coating into which the slate was embedded, this I also preferto overcome and do so by covering the slate at the edge with the same orsimilar material to that used in making the other markings. The shadowline F could extend all the way to the top of the shingle as shown orcould be discontinued at any point below the top such for instance asshown in Figure 2, as it need only be of length to give the desiredeffect between the next two above shingles and to show the roper spacingof same. In Figure 2, ll nave shown a prepared mineral surfaced shingleprovided with markings for laying the shingle and with the portion. ofthe shingle which is to be exposed to the weather having a portion oftwo figures of a design on it. This design is formed preferably bycovering portions of the mineral surfacing with a bituminous materialarran ed so as to create the optical illusion of shadow lines wherebythe effect is given of,

Wa curved surface and not a flat, one. in 7 order to layshingles so thateach row broke I jfillitS with the next ad acent row, to make a roofwaterproof to properly space the shingles apart to allow for expansionand contraction and to obliterate the joint or space between shingleswhile giving the effect of individual members forming an entire roof, Ihave so arranged the design that the complete effect is given byutilizing two or more shingles, a portion of the design being on each ofthe shingles and I have so arranged the design that it is the marking tofacilitate the laying of the shingles.

In Figure 2 as in'Figure 1 the shingle is divided into three areas A, Band G. The area A being provided as shown in the drawing with a designwhich when laid in place with the next adjacent shingles above andbelow, gives the effect of a curved tile; the areas B. and C being theareas which are covered by the next two above adjacent shingles whichhave the same design on them as shown in Figure 2, When in place on theroof the design on the left side of area A will register withthe designon the right area of the next below shingle and the marking line F- andportion of the design on the second below shingle will complete onefigure of the design which as shown is a tile design. The upper portionof the design in the areaA of Fig. 2 represents the marking lines D andH of Figure 1 so arranged that in conjunction with line F, which actslikewise in the dual capacity of a marking line and a portion of thedesign, form the marking showing the position of the next aboveshingles. The right angle of the lower left hand of area A Figure 2 isbrought into register with a similar right angle 'on another shingleformed by the marking F and the edge H of the design and likewise theangle on the lower right, area A, of Figure 2 is brought into registerwith a similar right angle formed by'the edge I) of the desi n and themarking line F, thereby properly spacing the shingles as to the distanceapart and likewise properly spacing them as to the amount to be exposedto the weather, I

My invention could also be applied to what are known as strip shingles,that is strips forming a pluralityof shingles such as the ordinarystripshingle which is on the market having four shingle tabs or ends.

Claims:

1. A shingle having surface markings, in contnst. to the surface of theshingle, arranged laterally and longitudinally of the shingle, saidlater-ally :rranged marking adapted to position the amount of overlap ofthe nextabove shingles and said longitudinally-arranged marking adaptedto position the distance apart of the next above shingles, said markingsbeing exposed, when said shingleis laid with others, to create shadoweffects below the edges of, and along the space between, the next ahoveshingles.

2. A shingle having a surface marking in contrast to the exposed surfaceof said shingle extending through a portion of the longitudinal centerthereof adapted to osition the space apart of the next two a oveshingles and to create a shadow efi'ect therefor.

3; A shingle provided with an area on the part adapted to be exposedhaving thereon a design, said design having portions each bearing apredetermined relation to the marginal edges of said shingle wherebywhen a portion of the design on said shingle is 7 brought into registerwith a portion of the design on a similar shingle the amount of theshingle to be exposed and the distance apart of overlapping shingleswill be fixed, said design remaining entirely exposed.

4. A roofing formedof a plurality of shingles each provided with surfacemarkings arranged laterally and longitudinally thereof, in contrast tothe surface exposed to view and creating shadow effects, said markingsdetermining the amount of overlap, and the distance apart of the nextabove shingles.

5. A shingle provided with an area adapted to be exposed having thereona design adapted to give an ornamental efiectto a roof, said designhaving portions each bearing a predetermined relation to the marginaledges of said shingle whereby when the design on said shingle is broughtinto register with portions of similar designs on overlapping shinglessaid overlappin shingles are spaced apart the desired istance and theamount of the exposed portion of said shingle isfixed, said designremainin entirely exposed.

6. A shingle aving an area adapted to be exposed having thereon a,design having duplicate portions on opposite sides of the longitudinalmedial line of said shingle each bearing a predetermined relation to themarvginal edges of said shingle whereby when said portions are eachbrought into register with opposite portions of the designs on similaroverlapping shingles the amount of overlap and the distance apartof theover lapping shingles will be fixed, saiddesign remaining entirelyexposed.

7. A shingle having. an end area adapted to be exposed, duplicatedesigns arranged on said area, a longitudinal marking extending GE-O. w.MILLS, JR.

